Debbie Thrower writes: 'We were very sorry to hear of the death of one of the key architects of Anna Chaplaincy, the Revd Canon Peter Doores, recently. His funeral was held at St Boniface Church, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, last week.
Peter was the Vicar of the Parish of the Resurrection, Alton, when I joined the ministry team there in 2010 as a Licensed Lay Minister and became the first Anna Chaplain. The Greater Alton Project (GAP) had signed a covenant with the local Methodist Church to collaborate more closely on various areas of mission; including ministry among older people. Peter was a prime mover behind the establishment of our specialist chaplaincy for older people in the town and surrounding villages.
I well remember my interview for the role, when Peter chaired the panel and said what they were looking for was, 'someone to spot the gaps (no pun intended!) and raise the whole standard of good practice in terms of the spiritual care of older people.'
He kindly took me personally to the care homes to introduce me to each of the managers. Peter had been a Careers Officer in his previous life and he was a gifted administrator, highly efficient, as well as a caring 'people person.'
He and his wife Margaret were always so supportive, and I well remember them driving all the way to Oxford to be alongside us when we celebrated ten years of the chaplaincy with a very special Candlemas Choral Evensong at Christ Church, in February 2020.
The funeral and thanksgiving service for Peter on October 16 was led in part by the Revd Canon Andrew Micklefield, who had been his curate when Anna Chaplaincy began, and is now Vicar of Alton's Parish of the Resurrection which embraces even more outlying villages than it did back in the day. The Bishop of Basingstoke, David Williams was also there for the final commendation.
Andrew described what a very fertile time it had been when Peter was in charge for various initiatives - including Anna Chaplaincy - after GAP was formed. The GAP Covenant Council gifted the Anna Chaplaincy concept to BRF in 2014 in order for it to be scaled up nationally.
The service was full of Christian hope. Andrew described him - very much in the present tense - as his 'training incumbent, mentor and friend', adding that Peter is 'now more alive, and fully himself, than ever before.'
The church was packed to hear details of Peter's public ministry and his rich family life. He and Margaret had four daughters all of whom were there with their partners and the couple's grandchildren.
I recall getting to know Peter's mother, Vera Doores, when she was living in Alton's 'Borovere' care home. She had long been widowed and Peter was her only child, of whom she was so proud. Vera lived to the grand age of 102!
Friends, and former colleagues had come from far and wide to say farewell and join in celebrating Peter's life. Latterly, he had been a Retirement Officer in Winchester Diocese supporting retired clergy and their families. Typically, he once enlisted me to write an article publicising Anna Chaplaincy in his newsletter he'd entitled 'OldHabits'!
We owe a great debt to Peter in helping get Anna Chaplaincy get off the ground fourteen years ago. We extend our deepest sympathy to Margaret and the wider family. He is missed by all who were privileged to know him, and work with him.' reverendcanonpeterdoores.muchloved.com
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